


A Glimpse of the Future

by wookieoogie



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Future AU, Mimin - Freeform, YuYeon, sooshu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28993674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wookieoogie/pseuds/wookieoogie
Summary: What is GIDLEif they're no longer living the Idol life?Did they pursue what they previously had in mind or took another risky path that they've always wanted to try?(G)I-DLE, and a glimpse of their future.UPDATES: Every Monday
Relationships: Cho Miyeon/Minnie Nicha Yontararak, Jeon Soyeon/Song Yuqi, Seo Soojin/Yeh Shuhua
Comments: 8
Kudos: 125





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> You may drop your questions/feedbacks here as well: [wookieoogie](https://curiouscat.qa/wookieoogie)

What is G _IDLE_ if they're no longer living the Idol life?

Did they pursue what they previously had in mind or took another risky path that they've always wanted to try?

Three years after they reached the momentum of their lives, they all decided to pursue their agendas that were previously put on hold to make way for their Idol career. But now that they've reached the age of settlement in adulthood, they also had to separate and move forward without the members' usual bond and support.

And in those three years, a lot has changed: for better or for worse.

Three years after, they were no longer the people that we once knew: the charismatic leader, the eldest power vocal, the Thai with the attractive voice, the hottest dancer, the cutie baby with a deep voice, and the chaotic and visual maknae. Perhaps, in some ways, they remained the same. But that would be something they'd discover once the six of them finally get to meet each other again.

* * *

_"Jjin-ah, this food tastes soooo good!"_

_"Congrats on your Best Actress Award, Shuhua-ya."_

_"Oogi, you were so funny on your show! As always!"_

_"Yah, Soyeon! I thought you'd write something about me!"_

_"Let's visit Minnie's art class!"_

_"Miyeon is such a great model! She's been recently in demand!"_

* * *

_(G)I-DLE, and a glimpse of their future._


	2. Nostalgia (Part 1)

“In this year’s special event, we invited a special guest to deliver a speech of her success and the hardships she faced before she was able to reach the star!” 

Soyeon took a deep breath. Despite doing this for years already, it was inevitable to feel slightly nervous whenever she’d walk on stage to receive her award.  _ Alone _ . It had been years since the group’s parting, and even if it pains her to be separated from the people she cares about, it was needed for them to grow individually. There was nothing much she could do about it aside from keeping in contact with them from time to time. 

She then saw how the MC turned his head in her direction, signaling her for the entrance cue. “Let us all welcome the singer-songwriter, and record-breaking producer, Jeon Soyeon!”

With the mention of her name, Soyeon immediately entered the stage with her charming smile, waving at the audience shyly before she stood in front of the mic. The loud cheers seemed to be endless, and she tried to signal for them to pause. But the joy grew louder, causing Soyeon to blush in slight embarrassment. She never expected to become this famous, after all. It somehow warms her heart.

_ “Soyeon unnie, fighting!!” _

Suddenly, a particularly deep and cute voice rang in her mind.

_ “You were sooooo awesome! Daebak!!” _

She shook her head to set aside the voices, delivering her speech with ease before ending it with a bow. She thanked the MC once again before heading her way out of the stage. Feeling the rush of excitement, she sprinted forward, a huge smile plastered on her face. But as soon as she arrived backstage, with no sign or presence of a certain Chinese, her smile quickly faded. It took a few moments before she got back to her senses and forced herself to lift her mood.

Soyeon thought she was already used to it. But then, there would be instances like this where she hoped, and expected, that she would show up, even once, just like before. Yuqi would always be the first to greet her, hug her, and be excited about the awards she received that day.

_ “Unnie, you look so swaaaag there on the stage! I’m so proud of you!” _

Soyeon certainly missed those moments. Unfortunately, those moments were only as good as they lasted. They won’t happen again anytime soon, at least. She’s no longer the leader of (G)I-DLE, after all.

She clutched her trophy and let out a soft sigh.

  
  


* * *

“And we’re live in 3, 2, 1…. Go!”

The board’s click transformed Yuqi from an anxious person earlier to a cheerful and friendly individual when the show started rolling. ‘ _ Wookie Oogie _ ’ has become one of the most popular, long time running variety show Yuqi herself has been hosting. She never thought of actually producing her show, but CUBE saw her potential --as everyone else had-- and took the opportunity to train Yuqi in the field. Her personality was extensively recognized for being fun and witty ever since she was still an idol. Although, there wasn’t really much to learn nor prepare. Yuqi was natural already at these kinds of segments.

"Annyeong hashimnikka, Yuqi imnida!” She greeted lively, her curly, braided hair bouncing a bit as she bowed. “Welcome to… Wookie Oogie!”

The show welcomed a few celebrity guests, and unsurprisingly, they all had fun conversing and joking with the entertainer Chinese. Feeling comfortable around Yuqi’s presence, they eventually started to become random, showing their real personalities in a short amount of time. This was one reason why the show’s views remained steady on top, and many artists have been requesting to be invited.

Upon receiving this data from CUBE, Yuqi’s heart warmed, and she asked for the list of artists who wished to be called. However, her excited expression somehow faded when the names of the people she was expecting were not included.

_ ‘Maybe they’re busy with their schedules,’ _ she thought.

Not even Soyeon was on the list.

The thought of Soyeon crossing her mind made her mood gloomier. She expected the older girl to at least express her excitement about joining her show. Yuqi had been eagerly asking Soyeon the previous weeks, but the latter seemed to always downplay her requests. The last time they were together in a variety show was during Learnwave’s episode seventeen years ago. 

Yuqi frowned. She recalled Soyeon recently received an award again. Perhaps that’s what made Soyeon unreachable. Yuqi’s big, round eyes displayed indifference, but to everyone else, it showed disappointment.

She clutched the paper and let out a soft sigh.

* * *

A particular countryside restaurant at Namwon has been getting popular recently because of its homemade dishes and beverages, matched with their infamous beef stew aroma that decorated the atmosphere. Though kept hidden among the city’s busy streets and tourist spots, the eatery got its reputation from being included in the most tried and must-visit places.

With its comfortable and pleasant ambiance, minimal but lovely decorations of small romance, with kind staff and owner, it sure secured its spot on the list of one of the best eatery in town. Nonetheless, the fuss about it being owned by a previous idol did market its way as well to the public. Still, the prestige of its delicacy outranked and established its name.

Soojin has been managing the whole place ever since she started the business. With some of her family members’ help, she made an impression and proved herself to be the entrepreneur and chef everyone expected.

She recalled how she was highly anxious about the idea at first, not believing in herself and her capabilities. She even set a deadline where the business would go bankrupt!

_ "It won’t even last three months," Soojin scoffed. _

_ "It will if you believe it! Maybe it will even become the best restaurant at Namwon!" _

_ Soojin raised her brow at the younger girl, "Who said it’s at Namwon?" _

_ The younger girl shrugged, smiling sheepishly before wrapping its arms around the older girl’s waist playfully, earning a groan of fake annoyance from the latter. "Because I like the place! It’s so peaceful and quiet and lovely there!" She replied with her cute, baby voice. Her excitement about Soojin having an eatery at Namwon made her eyes sparkle dreamily. _

The memory made Soojin sigh in nostalgia as she recalled Shuhua’s overwhelming support of her idea. 

She cleaned the stove and washed the dishes before finally calling it a day, making sure to check every door and lock the restaurant before flipping the sign board to ‘ _ close _ .’

The sun was only starting to set at that time, and it created a melancholic but beautiful mood for Soojin. 

She smiled. Shuhua was right all along. Namwon was indeed beautiful.

She clutched her purse and let out a soft sigh.


	3. Nostalgia (Part 2)

_We started like a candle burning passionately amid darkness, and like a candle, we also melted away into obscurity._

It would be insolent to say that Idle lost its fire during the years. In fact, it seemed only to ignite more after they went on separate ways, each individual finally lighting their candles and giving way to their respective dreams. From having only a torch that they all held toward a particular goal, later on, it evolved to a chandelier that illuminated the very definition of what Idle was.

_Was._

Of course. Everything was in the past now.

Who could’ve thought this day would come? 

Last time Shuhua recalled, they all made promises of ‘ _Forever, together!’_ Oh, how innocent and pure were those words; how gullible were they back in the years where everything seemed to only revolve around their idol careers, and staying together was their only way of assurance, of survival-- _Of salvation._

Not long after, Shuhua felt her cheeks getting damped as she dug further the memory lane. The sweet memories, the hardships, the promises… _Soojin_.

She had to blink a few times before her eyes looked down, frantically and confusingly searching any reason she could find as to why the certain red hair crossed her mind. Soojin was, of course, the closest member to her. She’s the only person Shuhua could feel safe and comfortable around during their Idle years.

She could feel her chest constrict as memories of them together flashed in her mind like an old film-- _an old flame that she could barely extinguish._

Shuhua looked up, brows meeting at the center and eyes wet and red. She gritted her teeth; fist clenched to each side before she lifted her right hand to her chest, a soft, choked up sound escaping her lips.

“Why?!” She yelled, but her voice cracked midway. Moving closer to the person in front of her, her hands gripped the older man’s collar, “What did I do for you to leave me so easily… “A question that in itself was a statement said through whispered agony and betrayal. “Just put it straight, please.”

“AND….CUT!”

A roar of applause soon echoed through the room, and the lights finally turned on to give luster to the gloomy set seconds ago. Shuhua immediately wiped her tears and smiled at everyone while bowing her head. The actor in front of her was still awestricken by the intensity of her eyes. It felt so real that he thought his heart broke into pieces, regret flooding his mind with the previous helpless figure of Shuhua.

“That’s a blast, everyone! Shuhua-ssi, you were heart-wrenching! Impressive as always!” The director smiled and signaled everyone to pack up and finally go home. Shuhua, on the other hand, just bowed in gratitude before waving goodbye and headed backstage to rest.

Three years after Idle had decided to move forward separately, Shuhua was determined to pursue the career she has always wanted: _acting_. So far, she became one of the most sought actresses and labeled as the generation's drama queen!

However, despite achieving success on the path she took, a certain gnawing feeling still lingered in her heart.

 _Soojin_.

And with the thought of her name, a soft, sad smile ghosted the corner of Shuhua’s lips. What else could effectively make her feel that pang of pain that would eventually make her cry?

  
  


She clutched her chest and let out a soft sigh.

* * *

“One, two, and three… Next!”

Flashes of light blinded Miyeon’s eyes for a moment before she eventually got used to it. With a product she barely used or even knew, she posed smoothly and smiled sweetly toward the camera. With her undeniably gorgeous visuals, Miyeon obtained overwhelming offers and invitations to different products for her to endorse.

However, the number of products she had to promote made her flabbergasted. Not that Miyeon disliked it, but she was susceptible to Korea’s beauty standards, so she also had to maintain her youthful look and slim body. _The sacrifices she went through just to please society._

The thought of becoming a model never crossed her mind at all before. But everyone knew she had a knack for it, and Miyeon was never a fan of getting out of her comfort zone, so she went with the flow and continued with it. She hadn’t adequately decided what to pursue after Idle went on separate ways, but she had to earn, so the opportunity of modeling seemed beneficial on her side.

However, Miyeon could honestly feel herself getting drained with everything.

 _‘If only Minnie was here,’_ she thought, reminiscing how the latter’s presence and support gave her the best energy she could have.

Miyeon tossed to the side of her bed and scrolled aimlessly at her phone, smiling now and then whenever she would read articles about her previous member’s success in their field. She wished she did, too. Not that she wasn’t successful, but she couldn’t lie to herself.

_She’s not happy here._

She remembered when she and Minnie used to sing together during their vlives and free times, how she yearned to just go back in time and hear Minnie’s voice soothing her worries away again. How she badly wanted to enjoy every second of her boastful and charming personality that she always adored.

That was three years ago, however. Miyeon never had the chance to visit the girl ever since Minnie told her about the new art studio she built someplace in Seoul. She was enthusiastic about movies that she either wanted to be cast in or teach theatre and acting. Either of the options made Minnie happy, so Miyeon wasn’t at all worried. As for her life, though, she could only see uncertainty.

She clutched her phone and let out a soft sigh.

* * *

“Okay, class, that’s it for today! You all did well!” Minnie cheered, sitting atop of the director’s chair with tons of folded paper in her right hand.

The students bowed and merrily scattered around to rest, chat, or grab something to drink after their eight-hour-long practice.

Minnie recently landed an opportunity to present her short film in Thailand. She was so thrilled about the invitation that she instantly picked and called many potential young artists to work with her. She had Shuhua in mind, but when she tried speaking to her manager, she found out that the girl was jam-packed with schedules! And even if Shuhua tried to insist on participating, Minnie knew that she would have to sacrifice sleep for that to happen.

Nonetheless, Shuhua referred to other actors instead that she thought might fit the roles and story Minnie had in mind. The Thai was beyond thankful for those because it saved her time for auditions and classes, having only a limited period to produce the short film before the contest.

Going back, the film was nearing its end, and Minnie wouldn’t be more satisfied with how it was going. She even asked if Shuhua could visit just so her students and actors could get inspiration from the award-winning actress. She hadn’t received a response yet, but that was understandable.

Her thoughts then shifted to Miyeon, who, in fact, was the inspiration behind the short film. She remembered Miyeon’s little story about certain aspects of her life that inspired Minnie to (secretly) write about it and hoped to produce the movie one day.

She wondered how Miyeon was during these days. She had been seeing her face all over the place recently: from subways, restaurants, billboards; you name it! She was incredibly proud of her unnie whenever she’d see her, and at times would buy the products Miyeon advertised. There were also times where she would brag about how she was close to her.

 _Was_.

The realization dawned on Minnie spontaneously, and she regretted visiting the memory lane. They were inseparable during the days and tried to maintain contact after separating ways. But she got caught up with raising the studio and making a name in the industry that both of them just… faded. She doesn’t even remember when was the last time they even saw nor talked to each other.

She clutched the edge of her seat and let out a soft sigh.


	4. A Glimpse of Courage

“Soyeon ssi,” Soyeon’s manager called softly when she noticed the latter’s indifference. “We’re going home now.” She thought that the girl was probably tired of putting up a front after the fan meeting when the ceremony ended. That, or—

“Did she come?” Soyeon asked, packing her things without looking at her manager.

Her manager wasn’t sure what to tell the other girl, clearly seeing that she’s quite upset by the absence of someone she usually anticipated.  _ What was the girl’s name again? Yuqi? _ She heard from Soyeon that she’s hosting a very famous variety show and has been quite jam-packed in real-time. She never had the chance to watch it aside from small snippets and clips Soyeon always showed her. It was also Soyeon’s way of  _ de-stressing _ , as she would usually describe it.

Soyeon sighed in disappointment when she didn’t hear any response from her manager. “I see.” She said, getting into the van and plugged her earphones, listening to one of Yuqi’s cover songs she recently uploaded.  _ The quality was terrible. Really terrible _ . And if only Soyeon weren’t so shamelessly fond of the younger girl, she would never dare listen to this kind of audio-trash. But it was Yuqi, and that reason alone was enough for her. 

If you were to check the history in her music app, you’d think that perhaps, Soyeon mostly listened to songs with catchy beats, or maybe the smooth and modern classical jazz. But recently, she was only playing most _ — _ if not all _ — _ of Yuqi’s song covers and a few songs The Chinese composed and released. She was incredibly proud when the younger girl finally dared to write, and produce, her music. She recalled how Yuqi would always obnoxiously shout and express her gratitude towards her.  _ Yuqi said she inspired her. _

Small dust of pink crossed Soyeon’s cheek with the memory. She was the splitting personality image of Shuhua to Soojin if only the two _ — _ or Soojin _ — _ wasn’t so… How could she put it?

_ ‘Dumb,’ _ she thought, smirking.

She quickly erased  _ that _ specific memory. However, she couldn’t help but also ask: what if the same thing happens between her and Yuqi?

_ Well, in the first place, was there something that should happen? _

She was fond of the girl, yes. But further than that?

Her train of thoughts was quickly halted with the sudden figure appearing in the window of their van. She didn’t realize that they had arrived at her apartment earlier than she expected. But that wasn’t the issue anymore. Her jaw slightly dropped when the person at the window violently—playfully—knocked while pouting, her eyes wide and puppy-liked before it turned into a lovely crescent shape.

“Yuqi-ya!!!”

* * *

Yuqi had just finished shooting their variety show, and she was, quite frankly, exhausted with their recent guests! She did expect that the people they invited were fun and random, but she did not anticipate how CHAOTIC they could be, and unfortunately had to meet their set of energy. Nonetheless, it was one of the best episodes she had ever filmed, so the fatigue was all worth it.

She was re-applying some light makeup and started to pack her things when she caught a glimpse of hopeful guests’ list that wanted to be invited. She had forgotten entirely what she felt earlier when she did not saw her previous members’ names -- _ especially Soyeon _ \-- but the nostalgia and disappointment came hitting her once again upon seeing it. And she felt like ripping the paper off—a _ little. _

Her frustration instantly turned to curiosity upon hearing Soyeon’s name on the TV mounted at the wall just behind her. Her body jerked towards the source of the sound, and a smile immediately pulled the corner of her lips. And just like that, she became incredibly giddy, proud of her unnie for achieving and grabbing once again one of the most prestigious awards in South Korea!

_ ‘That must be the reason why she’s busy,’ _ Yuqi reasoned, albeit her eyes showed sadness.

On the other hand, it also crossed her mind that she had not congratulated the older girl yet, which she normally does, even if it was just a short message. She knew it meant something to their modest and reserved leader. Soyeon was not one to express herself, but Yuqi knew her best during their idol years.  _ Like how Soojin knew Shuhua like the back of her hand. _

She wondered how they were doing recently. She was able to keep in contact with Shuhua and Miyeon since they both work in the same company and would usually bump at each other. But they never really had the chance to sit down, properly hang out, or even talk about personal matters, especially after  _ that  _ incident.

Minnie had her studio built not too far, but the girl was too engrossed and passionate that she would generally forget to reply, if not for Yuqi’s follow-up messages.

“A lot has changed.” She voiced out randomly.

She checked her phone and saw that it was still early in the evening-- 7:30 PM, to be exact. The commemoration ended an hour ago, and she debated whether she would personally greet Soyeon or just leave her a message. It was a battle of  _ ‘Do I miss her and want to see her or do I miss her and want to see her?’ _ Obviously, the answer had always been there, and she told her driver that they had some change of plans.

* * *

“Yuqi-ya!!!”

Soyeon squealed, unable to hide her excitement upon seeing the younger girl’s cute smile. It did not take her less than a second to slid open the van’s door and threw her hands immediately to the taller woman, earning a small  _ ‘oof’ _ and deep, reverberating chuckle that sounded like the best music in Soyeon’s ears. It was, after all, her favorite sound of all sounds in the world. Aside from her laugh, of course.

_ Soyeon did not just admit that, right? _

When realization dawned on her, she quickly pulled out from the warm, addictive embrace of Yuqi. A pink blush making its way in her cheeks. Yuqi thought that Soyeon must’ve been cold, so she forcefully pulled her back into her arms, knowing that Soyeon was extremely shy with physical intimacy. But Yuqi also knew very well that Soyeon craved those kinds of affection.

“I missed you, too!” As if Yuqi was reading Soyeon’s mind, she just said what she thought could be a response to Soyeon’s unuttered words of affirmation and affection to her.

That made Soyeon smile. She loved how the girl would just randomly respond to her silent thoughts. And for the record, Yuqi accurately does it. She was honestly grateful for this psychic woman who understood her. However, Soyeon wondered how deep Yuqi identified? How far had she gotten into her thoughts, especially in that sacred area Soyeon had buried into the depths of her subconscious?

She never knows, and she never wanted to know either. Soyeon would instead choose this side of the story than Shuhua’s.

“Should we go inside? It’s cold.” She finally broke the seemingly endless silence between them. The van had already vanished minutes ago, leaving them both hugging in front of her apartment.

Yuqi let out an embarrassed laugh and unwrapped her arms around Soyeon, earning a small pout from the latter.

“Congratulations, by the way!” Yuqi greeted enthusiastically, to which Soyeon only responded with a small nod and smile. She was still slightly upset that Yuqi wasn’t able to come to the award shows. But that was her fault. She had her hopes up even if she knew Yuqi had been busy with her variety show.

Yuqi was quick to notice that, and she just gave the older a kiss on the cheek! Expectedly, Soyeon blushed.

Upon entering Soyeon’s apartment, they immediately went straight with the established routine as if they lived together for years. Yuqi would go directly to the kitchen to cook something, while Soyeon would prepare the shower and clothes for Yuqi.

_ Would Yuqi stay the night? _ Soyeon doesn’t really know. But it already became a habit to answer a question that was never really asked. They both understood each other quite perfectly, and the gesture was enough to be an invitation _ — _ if not a question _ — _ already.

“Soyeonie! Food’s ready!”

Soyeon heard Yuqi call out from the kitchen. She quickly tossed the clothes neatly on the bed before scurrying towards the source of the pleasant aroma.

“Soojin taught you well!” She commented, “It smells so good that I’m feeling hungry already even if I’m not!”

“Yah! That’s some compliment spitting out of you now?” Yuqi teased. Soyeon was normally not a word-of-compliment person, but she knew Soyeon meant them when they’re said.

“No. I was just exaggerating.” Soyeon deadpanned but was already chewing the Samgyeupsal Yuqi made.

“YAH!!” Yuqi was about to hit her playfully, but she was instantly shut with the spoon that went into her mouth.

_ Soyeon was feeding her. _

Although, quite violently, if you ask.

Yuqi obliged nonetheless like the soft puppy she is whenever she’s with Soyeon, pulling a chair beside the older girl and playfully saying ‘ _ aaaaaa’ _ to her. Soyeon would always find this Yuqi quite irresistible. And even if she pretended to be annoyed, her fondness over Yuqi --and her extreme  _ aegyo--  _ had always been a deadly combination for Soyeon. Nevertheless, she never really complained.  _ How could she if Yuqi was melting her heart! _

Both of them just fed each other until Yuqi, by default, washed the dishes before she went upstairs to find neat clothes on Soyeon’s bed. A smile formed her lips before she went into the shower. 

She never really planned to stay. In fact, she doesn’t even recall when did Soyeon ever ask her to, or if she ever told her so? It just happened naturally. Like out of the blue, she saw the clothes, and immediately, her plans turned 360! The next thing she knew, Soyeon’s already cuddled next to her.  _ And It felt normal. _

_ Too normal _ for her liking, in all honesty.

She wondered if this was even normal for people---with both girls in the play, to be specific. Somehow, they acted like…  _ couples _ .

_ ‘We’re best friends,’ _ Yuqi immediately thought. Or more like, convinced herself. Never in the world would she ever imagine themselves dating! Or Soyeon liking her at all.

_ The last statement quite hit her with an unexpected sting in her heart. _

Would Soyeon like her? She doesn’t know. Would she like to know the answer? She doesn’t know either. The episode between Soojin and Shuhua was enough trauma and fear already to even entertain certain thoughts. Not that she liked Soyeon  _ that _ way. 

Well, maybe?

Yuqi quickly shook her head and finished showering, putting on the comforting clothes Soyeon previously prepared for her.

Going out of the shower, Yuqi saw that Soyeon occupied half of the bed already, and the blanket covered half her face.

_ ‘She must’ve been tired from the fan-meeting,’ _ she thought, admiring the older girl’s delicate features.

Softly, Yuqi pushed Soyeon to the side, careful not to wake the older girl. But Soyeon suddenly stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips before she moved instantly to make some space for Yuqi, opening the blanket for her with welcoming arms waiting.

Unsurprisingly, Yuqi promptly crawled in Soyeon’s embrace. _ They never needed words, to begin with, after all. _

Yuqi always thought Soyeon simply acted as a leader and unnie to her, caring for her deeply because she was closest to her. Or that’s what she would like to believe, at least. Soyeon was sweet; that’s already given. But there would be times -- _ confusing times _ \-- where Soyeon’s actions and gestures were too loud.  _ Loud enough for Yuqi to question her standpoint and beliefs towards the girl. _

And perhaps, that’s what Soyeon always wanted:

**An answer.**

_ What if _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ They tried? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late update! There was an unexpected internet interruption in our home. Anyway, please enjoy it!


	5. Glimpse of the Past (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so long I decided to divide it into two parts. The next update will be in the present, where Shuhua is finally revisiting Namwon after three years. Stay tuned for Soojin's reaction and Shuhua's behavior when they meet!

_If the densest thing in the universe is a neutron star, here on Earth, specifically in Seoul, it would be Shuhua’s star: Seo Soojin._

* * *

> “Shuhua ya, everything’s ready!” Yuqi called, bouncing happily towards the younger girl.
> 
> Shuhua’s eyes nervously met Yuqi’s large ones and smiled, fidgeting with the dress Soojin previously gave her last Christmas. She promised the older girl that she’d wear it on a very special occasion.
> 
> _And today’s the day she’d been waiting for._
> 
> “Are you ready?” Yuqi’s worried eyes seem to calm Shuhua a bit, giving a meek nod as a response. 
> 
> Yuqi understood. They’ve been planning this for a few months now, and the weight of anticipation was a lot heavier than whatever outcome it may be. Shuhua had been very meticulous with the process and planning, which was very unlikely of her, but these efforts were for that person she loves the most. She just wished that things would go well. For the group, for Shuhua, and for Soojin.
> 
> “Yeah,” was all Shuhua could reply.
> 
> They’re currently at Namwon, in Soojin’s restaurant, to be exact. She had booked the place for the whole night and planned a fantastic thing for none other than the said girl. The group decorated the place as romantically as they could: with flower petals spread across the floor, a few candle lights to lift the mood, and well, a banner at the corner that says, _‘In Shuhua’s love to Soojin we trust.’_
> 
> Shuhua had to knock the girls for that banner, though. She trusted them to come up with something sweet, uplifting, and a phrase that could resemble her personality. Shuhua’s not good with wordplays, and she specifically assigned Soyeon for that. But seeing the large, embarrassing banner across the entrance, Shuhua mentally noted to never trust her group again with these.
> 
> It was just last year when Cube asked them about their contract, whether they would like to extend or end it. They still had another year to bond as a group, and Shuhua recalled the night where they shared the most in-depth and significant conversation. Everyone had plans already; Soyeon finally establishing her own label, Minnie creating the studio for her classes, and Soojin building a restaurant at Namwon. It was bittersweet to subtly bid their goodbyes.
> 
> It was only her, Miyeon, and Yuqi who decided to extend Cube’s contract. A year after that, everyone went on their separate ways to focus and pursue the careers they had postponed for themselves.
> 
> Shuhua shook her head with the memory, trying to calm her nerves down before Soojin arrives. She had been visiting the restaurant almost every other day to show her full support. The restaurant was built even before the contract expired, and Shuhua was one of the people who helped Soojin build it, so she basically knew everyone here. With her bubbly personality, it was not difficult for the staff to love her.
> 
> A few months before celebrating Soojin’s first anniversary of establishing her own business, Shuhua had told the group about her plan of finally asking Soojin out. For real. Their Idle contract had expired six months ago already, and there were no restrictions about dating anymore, and no company would hold their lives and dictate how they should live forever. She recalled the surprising gasps and blinks she received that day, only to be tackled happily by her older sisters.
> 
> _“About time!” Soyeon grinned. Yuqi was ruffling her hair as well, while Minnie and Miyeon only sighed happily. “Though, I thought you guys were actually, you know, going out even before,” Soyeon added._
> 
> _Shuhua shook her head, “No. Soojin’s too… dense, I think?”_
> 
> _Everyone agreed with that statement._
> 
> She had been very transparent with her feelings for Soojin on or off-camera, but the latter doesn’t seem to quite understand. Soojin had downplayed Shuhua’s affection towards her countless times, and Shuhua, no matter what Soojin did to her, doesn’t seem to care. She loves Soojin. But does Soojin love her the same way she does? She’s about to know the answer.
> 
> Months and months of planning, but nothing prepared Shuhua for this day. She doesn’t know what to expect, whether Soojin had felt the same way or she really just see her as her younger sister. The reassuring smiles from the rest of the girls across the room thankfully calmed her down. They said that if Soojin doesn’t like her, why would the older girl bother to wake up in the middle of the night to cook for her? Or stay late and wait for her to come home? Or the first to volunteer to accompany and take care of her? Shuhua agreed, but the fear in her mind says otherwise. Maybe Soojin only did see her as a younger sister, nothing else. Perhaps this was all platonic for her and not the way Shuhua had always dreamt of. Maybe--
> 
> Her train of thoughts was immediately interrupted when the front door revealed a tall, blonde woman who she had her eyes set on ever since the beginning: _Soojin_.
> 
> With her family.
> 
> _Her family?_
> 
> Shuhua blinked a few times. She quickly glanced at the girls, and they were all as surprised by her. They had planned this a few months ago and even asked Soojin if her family would attend the restaurant’s anniversary.
> 
> _“Not likely,”_ was Soojin’s reply.
> 
> Shuhua panicked. Her eyes landed on her members, asking for help.
> 
> Soojin’s parents were, how they would say it, as conservative and traditional as they could be despite their lovely and warm personality. They strongly disagree with _certain_ beliefs, and if Soojin could be quite the stubborn person she is, her mother is just as adamant. _Maybe tenfold more_. And it frightened Shuhua. Not because of the judgment, but how Soojin would react in front of them. She vividly recalled how Soojin could be very obedient and afraid towards them. The only moment she rebelled was when she auditioned and pursued being an idol.
> 
> But when her eyes locked with Soojin, she knew.
> 
> _She had to trust her, trust that Soojin would also rebel for her. With her._
> 
> With a deep sigh --and some panicked reactions from her members-- and a bouquet of roses in her hand, Shuhua strode with pride towards Soojin and her family before she kneeled on one knee.
> 
> The members followed the plan. Seeing Shuhua that confident, the least they could do was support her and not let her down. So Soyeon and Yuqi prepared a soft song in the background, while Minnie and Miyeon rushed at the back to remind the staff of things to surprise Soojin.
> 
> Soojin, on the other hand --who was evidently bewildered with Shuhua kneeling-- mouthed a confused ‘ _what_ ’ at the younger girl. Her family, contrariwise, raised their brows in suspicion and looked back and forth between Soojin and Shuhua, whose cheeks were a burning red.
> 
> “Soojin ah,” Shuhua started, gulping a large lump in her throat and dismissing the judging eyes behind Soojin. “Uhm, happy anniversary! Congratulations on finally achieving your dream. I know how much you longed for this, and I know how much you wanted to be free from the company…” She trailed off, biting her lip.
> 
> These weren’t the things she’s supposed to say. She practiced it already. _‘Stupid Shuhua!’_
> 
> And there Soojin stood, patiently, like how she had always waited for the younger girl, unbaffled.
> 
> “Shuhua,” Soojin called softly, and it was enough for the younger girl to wake up.
> 
> _And just go with whatever she felt like saying._
> 
> Shuhua stood up immediately, the determined expression in her face unwavering. She gave Soojin the flowers, and in one breath, she yelled:
> 
> “Soojin ah! I love you so much, please be my girlfriend!!”

* * *

The scuffling sounds of heavy feet and hurried steps decorated Seoul’s busy subway, tapping their worries and irritation away as the train had been late for about 5 minutes. Technical malfunction, as the announcement said earlier. Angry passengers soon crowded the booth and yelled out their frustrations towards the poor teller, who tried to calm them down but failed. Eventually, she breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the honk of an upcoming engine; the passengers shuffled hastily at the entrance and squeezed themselves inside. It was at that moment Shuhua instantly regretted why she took a train to Namwon during rush hours.

She sighed, stepping aside to make way for others who seem to kill each other to get in. She ducked her head down once in a while and looked away. Despite wearing a heavily disguised outfit that consisted of a black beret hat, thick sunglasses, and face mask, she knew these things were not enough to hide her identity to some weird, obsessed fan that might be lurking around.

_Why did she even decide to take a train instead of a taxi?_

Oh, yes, because she doesn’t want to be caught by her manager. Regardless of the equally dangerous transportation she took, she would instead be caught by a strange fan than her furious manager. She had enough of that. Besides, she can’t really charm her way towards her manager.

* * *

> _Soojin blinked._
> 
> _Once._
> 
> _Twice._
> 
> _Thrice._
> 
> Everyone had their jaw dropped at the Shuhua’s sudden confession that even Soyeon and Yuqi froze on their spot, unable to think of anything they could do to at least save the younger girl. 
> 
> It wasn’t in their plan. It may be true that the whole context of this occasion was for Shuhua to confess, but not in a way where she would risk herself and Soojin’s reputation in front of the older girl’s family.
> 
> The deafening noise was soon pushed aside when Minnie and Miyeon entered with a cake. Behind them were the restaurant staff, clapping their hands while carrying several poppers and throwing confetti. Minnie had thought the loud yell was the cue, so they entered without even knowing what was shouted. But it saved them—a lot.
> 
> Soojin, as if realization dawned on her, grinned widely at the younger girl and pinched her cheeks. “Ah, you Shuhua ya! Always full of surprises!”
> 
> Her family tapped Soojin’s shoulder, asking for an explanation. Soojin turned to them with a broad smile and said, “This must be Shuhua’s way to surprise me. You know, her mischievous antics.”
> 
> _Again, Soojin downplayed her._
> 
> “Distracting me first before surprising me. Like always. She’s pretty unconventional most of the time, right?”
> 
> Her family got what she meant. Being exposed to the younger’s personality for about ten years now, they’re already used to Shuhua’s adorable affection towards their daughter that they honestly almost see her as one of theirs, too. Soojin’s mother smiled and let out a heartily laugh, looking at Shuhua and pulling her into a hug.
> 
> “Thank you for always looking out for my daughter,” She cooed before she pulled away and dragged both Soojin and her towards the staff that was already tearing up with sentiments.
> 
> This wasn’t precisely what Shuhua had in plan, nor even expected. Her heart deeply sank at Soojin’s response, but she had to pretend and stay tough. Perhaps, Soojin was just… _afraid_. She was never an in-the-heat-of-the-moment person at all. She preferred to plan and make things as perfect as they could. And maybe fighting for Shuhua wasn’t an ideal response. Maybe hiding her, for now, was a lot practical than surprising her parents.
> 
> Shuhua understood. Or at least she tried to. Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall into her eyes, she immediately excused herself and ran towards the bathroom. Yuqi gave a glance at Soyeon, and they did not need words to understand what the other meant before Yuqi bolted to where Shuhua had left.

* * *

How long has it been since she last went to Namwon? Shuhua asked herself as she sighed. It’s already late in the evening, and it was also freezing outside. She checked the temperature at Namwon, and she was sure that the clothes she was wearing would not suffice to warm her. 

_She needed to get to Soojin’s restaurant as fast as she could._

Speaking of Soojin, Shuhua grumbled. She leaned on her seat and closed her eyes to fight back the tears that started to form. There were only a few passengers left inside the train, so she did not care whether she exposed her identity or not.

She doesn’t want to go. She never wanted to see Soojin anymore, but she was achingly craving to catch a glimpse of the girl. It has been three years, and though the pain may have subsided in time, the ghost of the past forever haunted her.

_Soojin, and her disappointed sigh._

* * *

> Yuqi told her to speak to Soojin.
> 
> And so she did, waiting for the older girl to close the restaurant and for the staff to return home. Shuhua never visited Namwon for a whole week after that incident, embarrassed and equally frustrated at what happened. Soojin would never see her the way she does, and she tried to convince herself of that after. But Yuqi was adamant, and the members were very supportive. 
> 
> _Also, Soojin was deeply worried._
> 
> Who wouldn’t? She left the restaurant minutes after without saying goodbye, and Yuqi had to explain and excuse her from everyone, letting them know that Shuhua was extremely sick and only wanted to surprise Soojin.
> 
> A week after and she’s back, back to where Soojin had created a grave of her pain and love to bury. She snapped back when she felt Soojin’s hands in both of her cheeks, her thumb caressing the softness of her skin before Shuhua gave in. _Again_.
> 
> “Are you feeling any better?” Soojin asked softly.
> 
> That same softness in her tone was what Shuhua hated and loved. She hated how Soojin could be this affectionate towards her and then deny that she ever had feelings. She hated how Soojin could show her affections that obviously did not count as _‘friendly’_ but would eventually justify ‘ _it was what friends do, tease each other.’_
> 
> Shuhua despised it. She hated being thrown into a spiral of repetitive hope and pain, unending lies, and tedious facades. She had always lived her life as honest as she could, as transparent as she could be. But Soojin? Soojin had still hidden behind an unfazed mask that irritated the younger girl but adored so equally. Soojin had always concealed her demons but willingly shared them with Shuhua as years went by. And if Shuhua thought Soojin couldn’t be more confusing, she was wrong.
> 
> “Shuhua is everything—”
> 
> “Soojin, I love you.” Shuhua blurted out, eyes fixed on Soojin determinedly, passionately. She took both of Soojin’s hands and held them tight, praying that her words cross Soojin’s mind and heart to understand her terms. That she shouldn’t be afraid. There’s no need to run away and let her go.
> 
> _Soojin blinked._
> 
> _Once._
> 
> _Twice._
> 
> _Thrice._
> 
> Then she smiled. “I love you, too, Shuhua ya.”
> 
> And if Shuhua never knew Soojin at all, she would’ve celebrated here and now, jumping in ecstasy for that long-awaited response. But she knew Soojin, and Soojin knew Shuhua. The smile Soojin did was not the smile she wanted. Soojin was smiling in a caring _but_ friendly way.
> 
> “No!” Shuhua exclaimed, startling Soojin a bit. “Are you that stupid, Soojin?!”
> 
> “Watch your words!” Soojin warned.
> 
> But Shuhua ignored it. Ignored the crippling feeling of fear pulling her back in her mind. They could go back to being friends again, and Shuhua would always be with Soojin. They could have normal lives with Shuhua pretending that she never loved the older girl and would watch her happily get married to a deserving man, and have a family of her own. They could do that. Soojin could do that.
> 
> But Shuhua? She was fearless.
> 
> “You’re so fucking stupid, Soojin! Is it not obvious enough?” Shuhua’s practically yelling at Soojin, and unsurprisingly, Soojin remained calm and patient. _Again_.
> 
> “What do you mean?”
> 
> And that’s the last straw for Shuhua before she pulled the older girl’s collar and crashed her lips with hers for a few seconds. This time, Soojin wasn’t able to maintain her composure.
> 
> “I’m fucking madly, deeply in love with you!” Shuhua cried and slid her hands defeatedly from Soojin’s body to rest on the table, her head buried in it as she finally let out the feelings that overwhelmingly filled her heart with pain, longing, love, and suffering. “I’m in love with you, Soojin. I’m so in love with you.”
> 
> And for what Shuhua thought this could get any worse, she was wrong. For she heard the most traumatizing and hurtful words that would forever haunt her in her dreams.
> 
> With a disappointed sigh, Soojin replied, “Shuhua, we’re just… friends.”

* * *

Why was she revisiting Namwon?

_"It won’t even last three months," Soojin scoffed._

_"It will if you believe it! Maybe it will even become the best restaurant at Namwon!"_

_Soojin raised her brow at the younger girl, "Who said it’s at Namwon?"_

_The younger girl shrugged, smiling sheepishly before wrapping its arms around the older girl’s waist playfully, earning a groan of fake annoyance at the latter. "Because I like the place! It’s so peaceful and quiet and lovely there!" She replied with her cute, baby voice. Her excitement about Soojin having an eatery at Namwon made her eyes sparkle dreamily._

Ah, yes. The beautiful, peaceful, and lovely Namwon where hearts meet and break; where souls fix and crumble; where memories are remembered and forgotten.

Namwon: the place she hates and loves the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on my Twitter: **[@wookieoogie](https://twitter.com/wookieoogie)**. I always do random polls for my stories. Watch out for that!
> 
> Drop comments/requests/suggestions on my curiouscat: **[wookieoogie](https://curiouscat.qa/wookieoogie)**. My answers are always posted on Twitter, too!


	6. Glimpse of the Past (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Present time. Where Shuhua and Soojin will finally meet after three years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late update!

_ ‘A reunion?’ _ Soojin thought as she read the text Soyeon had sent her minutes ago. It’s been a while since she last heard from their leader, so when her screen lit up and showed her name, she didn’t think twice to open the message immediately. Soyeon explained that CUBE had been getting a handful of requests for an OT6 Vlive for their 16th anniversary. 

_ ‘That’ll be next week.’ _

Her face scrunched up when she read the next message.

**Soyeon:**

**(08:30 PM)** Shuhua will be picking you up this week. Not really sure when she’ll do it, considering her tight schedule…

**(08:31 PM)** just expect her arrival.

Soojin hesitated. It had been a while since her last news of Shuhua after the incident between them. She recalled how Shuhua abruptly left her restaurant that night after she clearly stated their label. She did not mean to hurt the younger girl, but the idea of them dating and Shuhua loving her made her quite uncomfortable (in a bizarre way) and flattered for some reason. But she knew at that moment it was just…  _ impossible _ . Regardless of the pain she saw from Shuhua’s eyes and the ache that she felt in her chest, she convinced herself that it was the  _ right  _ thing.

Or was it?

She was about the type her response when her phone lit up, showing a message from Soyeon once again.

**Soyeon:**

**(08:40 PM)** by the way…

**(08:40 PM)** Don’t do anything reckless.

**(08:41 PM)** If you know what I mean…?

**Soojin:**

I understand. Thanks for telling me.  **(08:42 PM)**

Soojin sighed and tossed her phone aside. Thoughts of the younger girl began to flood her mind: from sweet, old moments they shared, to Shuhua growing to a fine, mature woman; from Shuhua acting like a lost puppy beside her every single time, to Shuhua being the most caring and thoughtful person she knew. The memories of them both were endless, and much to her dismay, it also ended abruptly. She had ideas before of Shuhua's feelings, but she never took them seriously and usually brushed it off because Shuhua is just being…

“Shuhua,” she mumbled softly. The sudden loud thump of her heart didn’t go unnoticed, and she wondered, what would happen if they finally meet? It had been three years of no communication aside from what she usually sees on TV about her. She was incredibly proud but also distraught that she couldn’t be with her or be the way they were before. She hated the feeling. She despised how they both act like they don’t know each other-- _ like Soojin suddenly never existed in Shuhua’s life. _

She grimaced at the thought. Her uneasy eyes and concerned mind pondered as to why she only felt regret now? The gnawing shame and guilt started to creep up her chest as if the incident and Shuhua’s cries only happened yesterday. How did she manage to live on without actually getting a proper closure from the younger girl? Was she that…  _ cruel _ ?

Soojin asked herself; the idea displeases her to the point that she did not realize how late it was already. She took a glance at her phone and realized that it’s already midnight, and here she was, unable to sleep with thoughts of remorse.

While it was true that she did reach out to Shuhua countless times when she left that day, Soojin gave up a little too early as well because she was annoyed with the younger girl’s behavior. Shuhua never replied, nor visited, nor messaged her again. That was until she sent a long apology message. Soojin was ecstatic to hear again from the younger girl, but the sentence at the end of the letter broke her more than she imagined.

_ ‘Please don’t contact me again, Soojin ah. Please understand that this will not be easy for me. I can’t be friends with you. Well, at least not now. I love you, and I always will. Until we meet again.’ _

And Soojin did what Shuhua told her. But right now, she questioned how and why she quickly gave up on Shuhua that time. Shuhua was resilient. No matter how Soojin rejected her a myriad of times, she only persevered even more. Soojin hated it at first, but she eventually softened, and as much as she hates to admit it, she soon craved more of Shuhua’s attention.

The news of Shuhua arriving at any time of the week awakened that long-buried feeling once again, and Soojin couldn’t wait until the day they get to see each other finally.

_ And maybe, just maybe, they could go to how they used to be. _

* * *

The ride to Namwon went smoothly as expected of the younger girl, but what she did not saw coming was the extreme cold that greeted her the moment she stepped out of the train. Her hands immediately wrapped around her fragile body as she ran inside the station for heat, rubbing her palms on her sleeves to generate more warmth. It’s already midnight, and she sighed when she couldn’t book a taxi. She had a choice to wait or walk to Soojin’s restaurant --which would approximately take her around ten minutes-- but the idea scared the shit out of her due to many reasons. One was being dead in the middle of the street because of hypothermia.

Almost an hour had passed, and she still couldn’t book a taxi. She looked around, hoping to see random people she could ask for a ride, but the station had been closed for about ten minutes now, and Shuhua only saw a few guards roaming around. She cursed herself, placed her phone inside her pocket, and let out a determined huff.

She could text Soojin to pick her up, but that would be awkward, and she figured that the older woman might’ve been asleep by this time already. Luckily, she still had the keys to the restaurant, so she could probably stay there for the night.

_ She just wished Soojin didn’t change the locks after three years… _

“Stupid Shuhua! Why did I never think of that!?” She muttered between clenched teeth as she traveled through the cold, dimly lit street of Namwon. “I hope Soojin is stupid enough not to change them.”

As she turned to her left at the next street, she was surprised to see that the restaurant’s front lights were open.

“It’s still the same…” She mumbled and rushed to the door. She didn’t care who was inside the place. All she cared about was that she’s honestly dying from the cold!

* * *

As much as Soojin wanted to rest and sleep her thoughts away, she couldn’t. So she decided to go to the restaurant and prepare for tomorrow’s meals. That or the warm feeling of the place could give her some peace of mind.

The way Shuhua invaded her thoughts aggressively bothered her a lot. She convinced herself that she just missed the younger girl and justified that she’s only feeling nervous and excited to meet her again after three years. She loves Shuhua a lot, but not the way the younger girl wanted. And despite having to stain their relationship because of what happened, Soojin was more than willing, and even desperate, to have her little sister back in her life. She just hoped Shuhua felt the same.

“Oh, fuck!” She cursed when she felt the incredible cold outside. She made sure she prepared extra blankets and jackets in her backpack to sleep comfortably in the restaurant's small bedroom. She was glad Shuhua suggested to have that, or else she’d have to force herself before going home after an exhausting day. She had a choice to just stay in and rest there.

“Shuhua’s a genius…” She mumbled when she arrived at the bedroom, tossing her bag on the bed before she went to the kitchen to prepare some hot soup.

A weird feeling slowly crept up her chest. She stopped for a moment to decipher what it was, her brows furrowed at the familiar butterflies flying around. Suddenly, she felt a bit nervous, but she ultimately shrugged it off and cooked some hot soup. 

_ For some weird reason, she made more than what she could eat. _

* * *

“Oh, thank god!” Shuhua rejoiced when she found the door unlocked and hurriedly went inside, her lips trembling and her hands continuously rubbed her sleeves for friction. She quickly went to switch open the heater, sighing in relief once the heat finally seeped through her cold skin and warmed her enough to stop shaking a bit.

Just as she was about to sit and rest at one of the chairs, a tall, slim figure suddenly emerged from the kitchen, a bowl of what seemed to be a hot soup in her hands. Shuhua’s eyes lit up with the delicious soup and pleasing aroma that waffled the place. However, she snapped back from her trance when she heard her name from the voice that she missed the most.

“SHUHUA?!” Soojin exclaimed, almost dropping the soup. The shock on her face stayed for a few seconds, unable to comprehend that the person who couldn’t make her sleep tonight was just in front of her, in her restaurant, and staring back at her with the same surprised expression. “Is that… you?”

Shuhua was quick to gain back her senses, and despite the loud thumping of her heart and pink dust that covered her cheeks, she pulled her facemask off and beamed an awkward smile towards Soojin.

“Last time I checked, it’s still me.” She joked, breaking the stare and looking elsewhere aside from the older woman. She was proud of herself for not stuttering but incredibly frustrated by how her heart reacted upon seeing her again. Shuhua couldn’t help it. She still has feelings for the older girl, and she hated it.

Stuck on her spot, Soojin stared at Shuhua like she was a ghost: a ghost from her past that recovered to haunt her present. She saw how Shuhua’s eyes showed uneasiness, unable to look at her properly before she stood to make her way towards her slowly. And before Soojin knew it, she felt Shuhua’s warm breath against her skin, the Taiwanese’s big, dark eyes staring straight into hers, and she swore if she was stuck before, she’s now definitely rooted at her spot.

“The soup looks delicious.”

Soojin blinked.

_ Once. _

_ Twice. _

_ Thrice. _

“Excuse me?” She asked, confused.

Shuhua had to refrain from rolling her eyes. She found the frozen Soojin amusing.

“I said,” Shuhua started, moving closer to bend down a bit and inhale the warm aroma of the soup, then let out a soft moan. “The soup looks delicious.”

And if Soojin wasn’t anymore speechless upon hearing Shuhua’s playful tone, she was now, in all certainty, mute in all aspects. She only stared at Shuhua, but her hands had already stretched to offer the soup to the younger girl absentmindedly, to which in Shuhua’s delight accepted immediately.

“Oh, thank god, I am cold!! I walked from the station to here and--”

“You what?!”

Shuhua blinked at the sudden loud voice, “Wow, that’s a first. What a greeting.” She teased before pulling a chair behind her and sat, happily sipping the soup Soojin made.

“I mean,” Soojin blushed, but before she could even finish whatever she was saying, she already stormed upstairs, leaving a confused Shuhua behind.

“Is she flustered?” Shuhua asked out loud, but a smile tugged the corner of her lips when she saw Soojin running back to her with a thick jacket in her hand.

“Wear this.”

Shuhua raised a brow, “Still bossy, I see.” She teased but did what Soojin told her.

Soojin blushed, and when their hands touched when Shuhua took the jacket, she jumped.

“What?”

“I-it’s nothing… I’ll get some more soup,” Soojin replied and scuffled her way back to the kitchen. When she was sure Shuhua’s eyes couldn’t see her, her hand immediately went up to her chest, clutching the thin fabric and crumpling it slightly.

_ ‘What was that?’ _

Her heart was creating a loud, rhythmic melody she had never felt before. She was slightly catching her breath, eyes looking everywhere to find an answer to a lot of questions that suddenly filled her mind. Soojin tried to calm herself and dismissed her nervousness feelings, not really knowing how to act again towards Shuhua appropriately. Not that she ever forgot what happened between them before, and she was a little bit surprised to see Shuhua as natural as she could be: cute and playful. But there’s this another feeling she buried deep inside her to the point that she could not even recognize it.  _ Or she incessantly refused to acknowledge it. _

Minutes later, she joined Shuhua at the table, sitting across from her shyly and not uttering a word. She doesn’t know what to say, and she’s not a fan of initiating conversations either. Additionally, she had always felt comfortable with silence whenever she’s with Shuhua before. But this time, it was heavy and deafening.

Shuhua couldn’t bear the awkwardness anymore, so she started, “Did Soyeon unnie told you I’m visiting?”

Soojin was slightly surprised but hid it quickly. “Yeah, she just texted me earlier.”

“I see. Then why are you so surprised to see me?” Shuhua probed, a part of the question wasn’t because she arrived suddenly, but it was an inquiry of the past.

“I didn’t expect that you’d arrive today,” Soojin looked at Shuhua, “That, and in the middle of the night here in my restaurant.”

Shuhua huffed, and Soojin smiled at the sight. “Fair enough,” Shuhua replied and shrugged. “Why are you here, though? I mean, it’s late?”

“I-I couldn’t sleep.” Soojin hesitated to talk further, but seeing the expectant Shuhua, she continued. “I didn’t know what to do when I received the message from Soyeon. I was excited to see you and—”

“Excited to see me!?” Shuhua asked, surprise clearly evident in her voice. “Why is that?” She inquired, hands slowly snaking on top of Soojin’s hesitantly, expectantly. When she felt the tip of their fingers touch, she shuddered.  _ She still feels the same electrifying effect of Soojin’s touch. _

Unbeknownst to Shuhua, and if only she looked up to see Soojin, she’d see the shy expression on the Korean’s face and the pink shade that crept up her cheeks. But Shuhua was too focused on Soojin’s hands that she did not realize that Soojin’s breath was caught up in her throat, unable to respond immediately.

“Because you’re my… _ best friend _ ,” Soojin whispered the last part.

Shuhua only smirked, amused. “Of course.  _ Best friend. _ ”

And if Soojin never knew Shuhua at all, she’d quickly dismiss her tone to be sarcastic. Unfortunately, and fortunately for her, she knew how her voice hinted pain and mockery.

“You didn't give me time to react to what you said properly.” Soojin blurted. She knew they had to raise this topic sooner or later eventually, and she could sense Shuhua still had those bitter and unresolved feelings towards her. She was pissed. Not only because she could see it, but also because Shuhua was projecting it. She’s not one to hide her feelings after all, so this night would never end if Soojin did not decide to break it into the air finally.

“You reacted properly with a disappointed sigh.” Shuhua fired back, eyes full of intense emotions she couldn't bother to hide, not in front of an incredibly dumb person she greatly loves. Soojin’s stupid, and she won't take any bullshit from her ever again. She had enough of fifteen years being played, being lead on and building her hopes up only to quickly crumble them down seconds after.

Soojin was about to shot back when Shuhua continued, “We both know— and to be honest, everyone knows what I felt for you, Soojin. And you? god, you!” Shuhua exclaimed, rolling her eyes and pointing at herself. “You played me. And don’t go telling me you did not know anything and only thought that what I was doing we’re only for  _ ‘friends _ .’ Don’t be so dumb, Soojin! You were the worst, and honestly, I hated you for that! I hate how you could easily dismiss my feelings!”

Shuhua couldn’t take it. And before she could even stop the words of frustration she bottled up for three, long years there they were, spilling like wildfire in front of a surprised Soojin. She immediately bit her lip and lowered her head down. She never intended to hurt the older woman, but she couldn’t hide her pain either. She knew the moment she’d go back here, she just added gasoline to an already raging fire within her.

Soojin was taken aback by her sudden outburst. Not that she wasn’t expecting them, but the way the words hit her was way worse than what she imagined. Her fingers suddenly trembled, and her chest felt like it was carrying something massive, something invasive. Everything went silent, and not even the sound of her heart was heard. She was, so to say, numb to the core. And she doesn’t exactly know why.  _ It stings in the most painful way _ . Like salt being added to a fresh wound. Soojin couldn’t wrap her mind around these new experiences. She never felt this before when Shuhua left, so why now?

Just then, she felt a soft, warm pair of hands caressing her cheeks and then a view of a worried Shuhua in front of her. Only then she realized that she was…  _ crying _ .

“I’m sorry…” She choked out, and she saw how Shuhua violently shook her head in disagreement.

“No, no, I should be the one saying that.” Shuhua frowned, still wiping the unending tears that flowed from her beloved’s eyes. She thought she was over her, really, and what she’s feeling right now were all bitterness and shame. But the moment she saw the tears in Soojin’s eyes, she knew. She will never forget how much she loves her despite putting all her efforts into doing so. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be harsh…”

Soojin blinked.

_ Once. _

_ Twice. _

_ Thrice. _

She could not forget the feeling of the harsh words thrown at her, and for the record, she wasn't able to defend herself as well. But the way Shuhua's hands were now cupping her cheeks brought a sense of comfort and warmth she craved all these past three years. So she leaned in, closed her eyes, and pretended that she was still hurt, which she was, but in reality, was only reveling with the bliss Shuhua’s hands felt on her skin again. She loved it— _ a lot. _

And if Shuhua doesn’t know Soojin at all, she would’ve become uneasy right now. But she does, and she smiled when she saw how Soojin closed her eyes and leaned. She hated it. She hated how Soojin could easily tame her; how easily Shuhua would drop everything down for Soojin. But she loves the girl so much that if ignorance is bliss, so be it. And if this was the closure they both needed to move forward, then maybe, just maybe, being friends would not hurt for now. As long as Shuhua has Soojin by her side and Soojin not living in guilt and regret, Shuhua’s contented. It may have taken too long to realize that, but Shuhua knew it’s never too late to start again.

Perhaps, that’s what they call to sacrifice in love. Maybe, what Shuhua needed the most was acceptance: Soojin will never see her the way she wanted to.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s a good start to moving forward.

“Let’s eat,” Shuhua said, wiping Soojin’s leftover tears before she beamed a smile at her.

“Shuhua, I’m so—“

Placing a finger on Soojin’s lips to stop her, Shuhua smiled and shook her head. “Eat, Jin-jin.”

And if only Shuhua did not avert her shy gaze on Soojin when she called her by her nickname again, she would’ve noticed the wide, ecstatic smile that formed slowly on Soojin’s lips, and perhaps, see that  _ glimpse _ of an unknown, and undiscovered fondness and playfulness that flashed briefly between Soojin’s eyes.

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_ For it has been there all along ever since they met. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, despite being divided into two parts, it is still so long! MiMin coming up and, finally, the long-awaited reunion of OT6 in the following chapters. Stay tuned!
> 
> Follow me on my Twitter: **[@wookieoogie](https://twitter.com/wookieoogie)**. I always do random polls for my stories. Watch out for that!
> 
> Drop comments/requests/suggestions on my curiouscat: **[wookieoogie](https://curiouscat.qa/wookieoogie)**


	7. Glimpse of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MiMin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU DID NOT SEE THE MISTAKEN UPDATE EARLIER! SSHHH!! 
> 
> I'M SORRY! >.<

It wasn’t precisely what Minnie had in mind when she went inside a cosmetic store with Miyeon’s poster outside of the window, no. Minnie wasn’t exactly planning to buy another product Miyeon recently endorsed, but here she was, already lined up at the queue with a few lipsticks from a brand she didn’t know as long as Miyeon advertised it. Knowing Miyeon, she would never accept an offer that she disliked and would test each product on her own before she takes it. So far, all products Minnie used were fantastic, and she loved them!

As soon as she checked out her purchase, the saleslady informed her that she just won a one-time opportunity ‘ _ meet and greet _ ’ with the one and only, Cho Miyeon. She blinked in disbelief and ridiculousness at the idea, thinking that their meeting would be because of a raffle and not because they arranged a schedule. 

_ Were they that busy to forget each other now? _

Minnie frowned at the thought and just shrugged, reading the raffle ticket and putting the date of the meet and greet on her calendar.

_ April 25. That’s three days from now. _

Funny. It’s been three years since they had last seen each other. Minnie wondered how Miyeon was doing with modeling since the girl was quite reluctant to accept offers initially, wanting to delve into the field of arts instead since that was Miyeon’s first love. But Miyeon never had any formal experience with it, and despite Minnie asking her to join her journey into the industry, Miyeon insisted on pursuing modeling. Not that Miyeon doesn’t want to join Minnie, but the fear of uncertainty and unknown made her choose a more comfortable path.

Minnie decided to send Yuqi a message, the only member she’s always in contact with, aside from Shuhua. It was a good thing that Yuqi had this caring nature, or else she wouldn’t even initiate conversations. Thinking about it, Yuqi or Shuhua were the backbones of the group when they separated. Still, after the incident between Shuhua and Soojin, it had been Yuqi’s responsibility to carry the whole group and prevent it from actually dissolving into nothingness. She wondered if Soyeon was helping Yuqi, too.

**Minnie:**

Guess what? I won a raffle!!!  **(04:42 PM)**

**Yuqi:**

**(04:50 PM)** Congrats! That’s so random…

**(04:51 PM)** About what though?

**Minnie:**

Meet and Greet with Miyeon  **(04:52 PM)**

LOL!  **(04:52 PM)**

**Yuqi:**

**(04:52 PM)** HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!

**(04:53 PM)** HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

**(04:53 PM)** DAEBAK!!!

**Minnie:**

Don’t tell her!!  **(04:53 PM)**

I aM ShOoK toO!!  **(04:53 PM)**

**Yuqi:**

**(04:55 PM)** SHUHUA WILL LOVE THIS! XD

**(04:55 PM)** Sure, sure! We barely see each other here anyway

**(04:55 PM)** Have fun asdfghjkl

She laughed at the idea again before Minnie placed her phone back in her pouch, glancing at the ticket one last time before she made her way back to her studio, an excited grin plastered on her face as she hopped happily at the streets.

_ ‘I should prepare something for her,’ _ she thought and smiled when she passed by a small gift shop.

_ ‘Maybe she’d appreciate some sketchbook set.’ _

* * *

It was the day of the meet and greet, and despite doing this countless times already, Miyeon was still anxious with people she’ll be meeting with one on one in a small, secluded room with a hidden camera somewhere. She had experienced being asked several questions ranging from standard to incredulous queries, and she swore most of them were repetitious and enough to fill a FAQ of her own.

Her manager announced that she’d be meeting one last fan who won the raffle, and Miyeon couldn’t hide her excitement of finally finishing this event already and go home. However, her manager seemed to forget to tell her the next guest’s name, which was nothing new, but Miyeon preferred to have an idea. She shrugged and took a mental note of an impromptu introduction.

As soon as the person went inside the room, with her head ducked down and her bucket hat hiding her face, Miyeon had a hunch that the person might be shy, so she stood up from her chair and personally greeted the stranger.

“Hi,” Miyeon smiled, offering her hand to the girl who seemed to be having some trouble carrying a box.  _ ‘A gift for me, maybe?’ _

“Hey, Miyeon-unnie,” the girl greeted back, and Miyeon swore she would never,  _ ever _ , mistake the owner of that charming, dreamy voice.

“No way!”

“Yes, way!!”

Minnie suddenly threw herself to Miyeon excitedly; the latter was still in shock but eventually wrapped her arms back, unable to hide the smile that soon formed into a wide grin.

“Yah! Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming?!” Miyeon squealed, to which Minnie responded with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

“Duh, it’s a raffle! Which is ridiculous, but it works!” Minnie showed her the ticket from a lipstick product she advertised, “Funny how we’d meet this way, though. But I gotta tell you, I’ve been a fan of your products, and they’re lovely!”

Minnie seemed to continue rambling about how great the products Miyeon advertised, a few exaggerated gestures and facial expressions here and there, which Miyeon found adorable before Minnie realized that she was doing all the talk. _ Perhaps, it just felt nice to have Miyeon around again. _

“Now I’m rambling!”

“You are,” Miyeon agreed instantly with a nod. “Should we sit?” She pointed towards the chairs prepared for them to hang out, and without further ado, Minnie walked in like she owned the place. Not that she doesn’t know how these things work. She instantly spotted the hidden camera and made funny faces, and greeted the producers of the show.

_ ‘Typical Minnie,’  _ Miyeon thought as she joined in with her antics.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Minnie suddenly rushed to offer the box to Miyeon, earning a confused stare from the older girl before accepting it shyly. Minnie just flashed her a grin in response and motioned Miyeon to open the gift. “You’ll love it!”

Miyeon nodded and slowly unwrapped the box. A gasp instantly left her lips as soon as her eyes landed on the material set in front of her. She took her moment to caress the pad, then the few pencils beside it before she looked at Minnie, hands covering her mouth and her eyes suddenly becoming teary.

“I’m… touched,” Miyeon managed to say before she placed the box at the table and rushed to hug Minnie. “You didn’t forget,” she whispered, making sure to cover both of their mics, so the producers won’t hear what she said.

Minnie patted her back, and a proud smile tugged her lips, “Of course!”

The fan meeting went on like how friends catch up after years of not hanging out. The producers told Miyeon that they’d be airing this one particular episode since it was an unexpected meeting of two (G)I-DLE members after three years. She agreed immediately, and Minnie, being the witty and chaotic person she was, just made the show funnier and comfortable. The producers decided to extend the meeting a few more minutes.

“Oh, they love me!” Minnie casually commented on the camera when she heard the announcement.

The show ended earlier than Miyeon expected, but the conversation with Minnie continued backstage. Her manager and the rest of the staff were packing their things and preparing to go home already. Minnie insisted that she accompany Miyeon until later, telling her that it’s been so long and Miyeon owes her a lot of her time that she even boasted of buying a lot of the products she advertised.

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have any sales,” Minnie joked and whined.

Miyeon laughed at the comment and smacked Minnie’s head, “I have a lot of other customers, idiot!”

“Who are you calling, you idiot?!” Minnie exclaimed and gasped, wiping some fake tears in her eyes. “Uhg, Miyeon, you’ve changed. I’m hurt! Yuqi will know of this!”

Miyeon just laughed more, especially when Minnie did text Yuqi about what happened. Suddenly, she remembered the anniversary vlive that they’re supposed to do.

“I honestly thought we’d meet at the vlive for our anniversary,” Miyeon trailed off, then turned to look at Minnie with a sincere smile. “I’m glad we at least get to hang out a little before it. At least I had a solo time with you.” She smirked.

“Yah! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Minnie inquired, blushing a little with the smirk Miyeon made.

Miyeon just dismissed a flustered Minnie and waved her hand at her before her expression softened when she recalled the incident between Shuhua and Soojin. Minnie noticed this, and she stopped whining for a moment as well, having an idea what Miyeon could be thinking since she’s one of Shuhua’s closest friends. She then went beside her and tapped her shoulder, Miyeon flinching a bit at the sudden contact but eventually smiled at Minnie’s assuring expression.

“I’m sure it’ll go well,” Minnie spoke.

“I’m just worried, I guess,” Miyeon sighed, “Shuhua, well… Yuqi and I witnessed how she was after that. Soyeon, too, but she was rarely here, so Shuhua only had Yuqi and me by her side.”

Minnie felt guilty for not being able to comfort her friend, and she felt ashamed that she wasn’t able to help their  _ maknae  _ at her lowest point, too. She made herself busy at that time to avoid the heavy feeling, thinking that it will eventually fade soon enough, and Shuhua would be able to move forward without difficulty. It felt too awkward and painful to watch at that time.

She bit her lip with the memory, but Miyeon was quick to assure her that it wasn’t her fault. No one was at fault, and they all understood that everyone had their agendas already.

“Don’t worry about it. I heard CUBE requested Shuhua to fetch Soojin at Namwon…”

“CUBE what?!” Minnie interrupted in surprise.

“Yeah. But they don’t have any idea what happened between them, so…”

“Did Shuhua agree?”

Miyeon nodded, albeit a little reluctant. She was also against the idea, but Shuhua insisted on it and seemed enthusiastic when she heard the news. She can’t fool Miyeon, however, and Miyeon instantly offered that she do it instead, but Shuhua was adamant, and Miyeon couldn’t do much about it, aside from distracting her manager, as requested by Shuhua, so she could sneak out. Her manager was against it because her schedule was too tight that one delay could create a domino effect already.

Minnie nodded her head in understanding and just sighed. There’s nothing much they could do, and Yuqi didn’t tell her about it either. She wondered how their meeting went. However, knowing Shuhua, she could not just easily forget Soojin and throw that particular memory at the depths of her mind. At the same time, she knew Shuhua so well that she’d rather choose to forgive Soojin, no matter the circumstances, and choose the latter’s feelings than her own. It was quite an amazing personality Shuhua had, but an equally annoying side, either. She should learn to prioritize herself next time, especially when it comes to Soojin.

“So…” Miyeon suddenly spoke, turning to Minnie with her brightest smile. “I’ll see you next time at the live event?” She said, but her voice seemed hopeful for something.

Minnie was quick to catch that, and she shook her head, “No!”

Miyeon blinked in surprise, “You’re not coming?”

“I mean, let’s not wait for the event to meet. I’ll text you!”

With that said, it was as if something had awoken in Miyeon’s heart upon hearing those words. Just the idea of being with one of her members again, aside from Yuqi and Shuhua, made her happy, and she was more than willing to take all the chances she could get. She nodded her head happily and took both Minnie’s hands in her own. She never looked forward to tomorrow excitedly before since she lived a life of routine that she’s so tired of already.

“I’d love that!” Miyeon shook her hand, and Minnie was more than happy to see the enthusiasm in Miyeon’s eyes.

“Great! You should visit my studio, too, you know…” Minnie suggested shyly, “I… I have something for you there, too!” She quickly finished with a confident voice.

Miyeon tilted her head a bit, curiosity suddenly filling her mind from both the surprise and what the studio looked like. “Sure! I’ll check my schedule and let you know! I’ve been meaning to pay a visit, but I was swamped, and you never text me.” She teased.

“Yah! Check our convo! I was the last message!” Minnie quickly defended.

“You still never texted me!”

“You were busy to even reply!”

“What am I supposed to reply with an emoji?” Miyeon huffed.

“Maybe a ‘Hi Minnie, how are you?’ message?” Minnie mocked and sarcastically rolled her eyes.

“Well, why didn’t you do that to me instead?”

Minnie opened her mouth, but no comeback came quick enough in her brain for a response. She just hummed and shrugged, accepting her defeat but not forgetting to give Miyeon a glare when the older girl laughed.

“Whatever! I’ll see you next time, and I will prepare good comebacks!!”

Miyeon just laughed more at Minnie’s annoyed but determined face. She missed being able to banter like this again with her. “See you soon.”

The two then bid their farewell and hugged one last time before they went in opposite directions; Minnie at the right back to where the train to her studio would be, and Miyeon to the left to where her manager was waiting already inside the van.

“You glow,” her manager casually commented after briefly inspecting Miyeon when she settled herself beside her.

Miyeon just made an  _ aegyo _ , which earned a sarcastic scoff from her manager.

“I know I’m beautiful,” Miyeon joked.

“What I mean is, you seemed more relaxed and…” Her manager tapped her chin as she thought of the right word to describe Miyeon’s aura, “Natural.”

Miyeon raised a brow in question.

“I know you never liked this line of job, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile so tenderly. It was a refreshing scene to witness. You, being at ease and confident.”

Miyeon blushed but decided to ignore her manager’s comment thinking that she had the same expression she wore whenever she faced a fan of hers. However, a small smile did tug the corner of her lips. She couldn’t exactly deny the fact that she never felt like being herself for the longest time, and Minnie had naturally brought that old Miyeon back like the way she did during their idol years.

As remnants of the past began to flash her mind, she let out a contented sigh as she looked at the window of their moving van, pleased to watch the beautiful scenery of Seoul and the bright lights that decorated the night. The memory made her remember Minnie and how her smile shines at the stage that she secretly adores.

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_ She really had that charm. _


	8. V-Live Anniversary (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize that this update took so long! The chapter will be divided again into parts since I got carried away again, plus, I wanted to give each ship their deserved exposures. Please do enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

It was the day of the V-live, and everything was already in place, except, of course, the people involved in the said video: the members of (G)I-DLE.

Soyeon arrived first an hour before the Live shoot, being the responsible leader despite the group’s disbandment three years ago. She just couldn’t take away her personality of having to watch over them when it comes to activities regarding their beloved fans, Neverland. In all honesty, she was surprised by the steady, if not growing, amount of Neverlands that remained loyal and supported them throughout their journey, even going as far as uniting to help each member’s agendas. She couldn’t be more grateful for their unconditional love. So, when this V-Live was planned and announced by CUBE, she promised herself that she had to do her best in reuniting the members, even if there had been a few rough edges they encountered in those three years. She just hoped, especially Shuhua and Soojin, would be kind enough to behave like before in consideration for their fans.

She checked their Kakao group chat to message everyone in one go. However, she hesitated when she realized the group was rarely—if never at all—used for about a year and a half now. The last message was unsurprisingly from Yuqi, who wished everyone good luck when Shuhua received her first-ever major actress award.

_ ‘This is awkward,’ _ she thought but decided to push aside the issue and sent them a message. She just wished that neither of them had silenced the app, or worse, deleted it.

**Captain Jelly:**

**(4:45 PM)** I’m here. Where is everyone?

  
  


Yuqi was the second to arrive. Suddenly, her phone pinged, and she hastily fished it inside her pocket to check who messaged her. A small smile tugged the corner of her lips when she saw the group chat's name.  _ CrackIDLE OG Fam. _

She chuckled at the ridiculousness of it, recalling how the name had changed countless times depending on their current mood, or the current trend, or the current issue of one of their members. She even remembers having the group chat’s name as  _ Shuhua Whipped, Minnie Is Puberty-ing, Twerk It Like CHO.D.B, YUQI'S MIGHTY OH SHIT!, SoojinWhereTheFuckAreYou x100, Soyeon's favorite veggies, _ and many more. She sighed at the nostalgic memory before she swiped on the screen to reply.

**Yuqirin 🦒:**

**(4:55 PM)** Here! Where are you  @CaptainJelly ?

It didn’t take more than a second for Yuqi to feel a tap on her shoulder, turning around immediately and smiling when she saw the cute, small bean inside her yellow, oversized hoodie.

“Ah, we’re matching again. You didn’t plan this, did you?!” She teased, squinting her eyes suspiciously at Soyeon, who only gave her an equally suspicious smile. Yuqi was wearing the yellow, giraffe-print hoodie Soyeon gave on her birthday.

“Who knows?” Soyeon shrugged. “JSYQ or YuYeon will always be superior, you know?” She grinned.

“You’re just competitive.” Yuqi rolled her eyes, but a smile had already formed on her lips. “If only it was real, it would’ve been the superior ship. No doubt!”

“Who told you it wasn’t real?”

Yuqi blinked, while Soyeon only smirked at the dumbfounded giraffe before she hopped her way towards their manager, who had been calling them to settle on the waiting area so the stylists could start doing their make-up.

Yuqi was still baffled, unable to process Soyeon’s teasing remark. Normally, she would have a comeback against her words or would usually ride her joke and intensify the flirtation tension between them. But Soyeon came too smooth at that moment that she was extremely caught off guard. Yes, they were aware of the fans shipping them, and yes, they were really generous with the fan service, but implying nor even joking about them being real off-cam? That never happens until now.

_ ‘Jesus, now what, Soyeon?!’ _

Yuqi shuffled hastily at the waiting room when she heard her name being called, still muttering incoherent words on her way as the image of Soyeon’s smug look invaded her thoughts. 

She hated it. She hated how Soyeon could effectively play with the strings of her heart without even trying, and she would be more than willing to offer herself as a tribute. The fact that she knew that both of them had felt—or at least she assumes Soyeon feels it too—that floating question that had been ignored in fear of what would happen next only intensifies this extreme desire to have an answer already.

Maybe Soyeon was trying to be bold, but Yuqi could be the epitome of stupidity second to Miyeon.

It’s only a matter of time before YuYeon would face its fate: sink or sail.

  
  


“Are you sure we’re not late?”

It was Miyeon’s 5th question in less than thirty minutes now, and Minnie swore if she never truly admired the goddess beside her, she would’ve lost her brain cells already.  _ Not that they even exist in the first place, so. _

“Miyeon, I swear, we’re too early, so stop worrying already.”

Miyeon just pouted in response. Minnie was driving them to CUBE entertainment after she stayed at the girl’s apartment last night since Minnie insisted that it’d be nice if they could go together simultaneously, in case one of them arrived too early or too late.

_ "Share the burden, or the blessing,"  _ as Minnie once told her, grinning cheekily as she pulled the duvet over their bodies and prepared to doze off.

Suddenly, a ping on Miyeon and Minnie’s phone caught both of their attention. Minnie, being the driver, had urged Miyeon to check her phone in her place. But when Miyeon saw it was their long-forgotten group chat, she just proceeded on reading the message on her phone.

“It’s from Soyeon. From our group chat.” Miyeon notified, earning a raised brow of amusement from Minnie.

“That’s… interesting. It’s been so long.”

Miyeon smiled, “She’s asking our whereabouts.”

“Oh? She’s there already? Well, that’s nothing new, anyway.”

“Yuqi, too.”

The car went to a stop from the red light. Glancing at each other, they smiled knowingly and Miyeon quickly typed in her response. An excited and giddy Minnie rushing her before the light turned green, and Minnie had to focus her attention back to driving, but not removing the smile off her face.

**Cho.D. B:**

**(5:15 PM)** We’re on our way, lovebirds~

Minnie smiled sheepishly when Miyeon read out loud their reply.

**Yuqirin 🦒:**

What do you mean ‘we’?  **(5:15 PM)**

**Cho.D. B:**

(5:16 PM) I’m with  @Minnieaintthemouse !

Miyeon suddenly scoffed upon reading Yuqi’s next reply, earning a confused glance from Minnie before she said, “What? What happened? What did she say?”

Miyeon rolled her eyes. A small blush had crept her cheeks though she tried hiding it from Minnie when she hesitated to read Yuqi’s reply out loud.

“Told her I’m with you, and she replied,  _ ‘Oh, MiMin, the real, dumbass, lovebirds!’ _ That shit.”

“She said that?!” came a high-pitched, annoyed voice of Minnie. “How dare she call us dumbass!? That rascal still hadn’t learned manners to respect her elders!” she huffed, turning right to where the parking lot of CUBE building was located. “I swear when we see each other, I’m going to teach her a lesson!”

Miyeon only gave out a laugh in response, trying to ignore the disappointed whirl in her chest when Minnie chose to ignore that Yuqi just called them  _ lovebirds _ . Maybe they’re used to Yuqi being a tease, probably a trait she got from hanging a lot with Soyeon. She even recalls the audacity of that giraffe to ask them if they had told the public of her and Minnie’s relationship through a phone call when they were doing a fucking V-Live. The shock of their lives just dropped at that question, and she swore she felt herself panicking at that moment that she honestly wanted to kill Yuqi--and maybe just directly confess to Minnie so they could be done with it. Of course, that didn’t happen as they both became stuttering, in denial mess of an idol.

“We’re here!” Minnie announced, a soft, nostalgic sigh escaping her lips. “Been a while since I’ve last stepped foot on this crap entertainment.” She chuckled, earning a playful slap on her shoulder from Miyeon.

“Couldn’t agree more.”

This time, it was Minnie who messaged the group chat of their arrival, getting out of her car while her free hand had unconsciously asked for Miyeon’s as she typed in her response.

Like it was already a habit of theirs, Miyeon had easily slipped her hand to Minnie, smiling ever so shyly as Minnie closed the gap and intertwined their fingers.

_ ‘Friends do this, right?’ _ Miyeon asked herself, glancing at their intertwined hands.  _ ‘It’s probably normal.’ _

They walked hand-in-hand towards the building, unaware of their hearts’ sync melody or the soft, shy smile that ghosted their features. From afar, they looked like close friends.  _ Really, really close friends. _ But their members knew better.

**Minnie aint the mouse:**

**(5:30 PM)** We’re here!

It’s only a matter of time before MiMin would face its fate: sink or sail.

  
  


“For goodness’s sake, what the fuck took the both of you so long?!”

It was Soyeon and her undoubtedly annoyed and frustrated tone that Shuhua could hear ringing in her ears. It’s been a while since Soyeon scolded her, so she wasn’t used to the loud, high-pitched voice of her by now. She smiled apologetically and quickly settled herself on her seat, her stylist applying only light make-up since they were already running out of time. The V-Live would start thirty minutes from now.

“Relax, Soyeon. We just took a train and a bus on our way here.” Soojin tried to calm their raging leader, who had Yuqi rubbing her shoulders already to ease up Soyeon’s tensed muscles, as she made her way to sit beside Shuhua and had their stylist do its magic to her. The leader had sent numerous messages on their group chat, pinging Shuhua and Soojin, but no response came until five minutes ago when they both showed up panting.

Seeing that nothing can be done but to only prepare, Soyeon just accepted their excuse, but not without asking, “Why commute? Where are both of your cars?”

Shuhua and Soojin only looked at each other. “Long story,” they both said simultaneously.

“Oh, wow, three years after and the coup— I mean, you two, are you know, still in sync.” Yuqi laughed nervously, trying to read the atmosphere over her slip-up about the sensitive topic. Realizing that, however, she asked, “You two… good?”

Shuhua rolled her eyes, while Soojin just smiled. “Yeah, we are.” It was Soojin who answered Yuqi.

MiMin breathed a sigh of relief. Yuqi smiled awkwardly. And Soyeon cleared her throat.

“You guys are weird.” It was Shuhua’s turn to speak. “This is so not the reunion I’m expecting!”

With that said, the group finally dropped down the shyness they’ve held and rushed to hug each other in a group hug, clinging ever so tightly at the long-forgotten warmth they loved when they were together.

“I missed you, guys,” Soyeon commented with a smile, looking at each one with a proud smile. “I didn’t know what to say, really. But I’m happy we got this opportunity to be together again.”

“Yeah! You guys are awful with keeping in contact! You barely reply to any of my messages!” Yuqi ranted, but she quickly pointed at Soyeon, “Except you, of course.”

Everyone but Soyeon smirked knowingly.

“Oh, so Soyeon never stopped bothering you at all? Wow, YuYeon sails, everyone. They always did.” Minnie teased, earning a heartily laugh from Soyeon and a playful glare from Yuqi.

“Of course, we’re the superior ship!” Soyeon said confidently.

“No, it was SooShu.”

Everyone turned their heads to Soojin, who nonchalantly replied, “ _ what? _ ” to their surprised expressions. The atmosphere momentarily became awkward, the group not really knowing how to respond as their eyes shifted between Soojin and Shuhua.

“Duh, it has always been!” Shuhua beamed, wrapping an arm casually around Soojin’s shoulder.

The uneasiness in MiMin’s eyes was visible, so was the awkward cough of YuYeon. But Yuqi eventually jumped into the boat and competitively told everyone that YuYeon was, and would always be, the superior amongst them all.

“Kids, that’s enough.” Miyeon joined in and announced her presence at the center before pointing at Minnie and herself. “God, we all know that even if we’re low-key, MiMin is superior.”

Yuqi rolled her eyes while Shuhua  _ meronged  _ at her as she clings to Soojin. The latter only smiling at the maknae’s gesture, but the leader was shooting apprehensive and knowing glares at the previous main dancer. Their closeness was too…  _ suspicious _ .

“What makes you say that MiMin is superior, huh, huh!?” Yuqi fought, standing face-to-face with Miyeon to announce and make the emphasis of her stance.

Miyeon only smirked, “We’re dating.”

Yuqi blinked while everyone froze.

Satisfied with the reaction she elicited from everyone, she quickly added, “I’m kidding, of course!”

Everyone whined and slapped Miyeon playfully on her shoulder, reprimanding her that she shouldn’t joke about something like that. Of course, everyone but Minnie. The Thai stayed in her position, awkwardly laughing and trying her best to wave off her disheartened feeling. She wasn’t exactly the person who gets pissed quickly by those kinds of jokes, no. But when Miyeon did that, surprisingly, she felt like her heart was stung tenderly. 

On the other hand, Soyeon pulled Soojin out of the crowd and into a secluded corner of the production room. Soojin had her brows furrowed in confusion by the sudden movement, but she let Soyeon drag her anyway. Now her curiosity was eating her alive, knowing Soyeon had something to say about her and Shuhua, giving the previous glares the leader had been shooting her earlier.

“What’s that?” Soyeon hissed impatiently.

“What’s what?” Soojin responded innocently.

“You know what I’m talking about, Soojin.”

Soojin moved closer, her stance changing from harmless to a threatening one. “I don’t, Soyeon.” Of course, she knew. It certainly had something to do with their previous maknae.

Soyeon matched her threat with her own authoritative one, unafraid to announce her lioness side, especially if it meant protecting her pride, even if the foe came from her own.

“I’ll only say this once, and I hope this remains stuck in your head, “She growled, moving closer to Soojin’s ear. “You lead Shuhua on again, or hurt her again, we… No.  _ I will never forgive you. _ ”

Soojin gritted her teeth, “ _ You _ don’t know anything, Soyeon.”

“So do you, Soojin. You were never the one who looked after her after what happened.”

With that said, Soyeon moved away, but not without giving Soojin another look. “Don’t go overboard with the fan service. I don’t know what happened between you two at Namwon, but I would never risk Shuhua’s heart again from a dumbass and coward who can never be true to herself.”

“Speak for yourself,” Soojin whispered in between her breath as she watched Soyeon’s figure fade from her vision. She bit her lip and took a deep breath. It wasn’t the reunion she definitely expected, but she was awfully aware that this would happen. After all, Soyeon was in contact with Shuhua when she ran away and had left her worrying at Namwon about her situation. Soyeon kept her updated for a while until she told her that she can no longer do it.

_ “If you’re really worried about her, then it should be you checking up on her, not me. Grow up, Soojin! You can’t always hide from your stupid excuses and reasons!” _

Soyeon was right. But she never did what she was told. And now that she had another chance of fixing everything with Shuhua, she could only hope that everything would go well, and she won’t fuck up their friendship once again.

She quickly made her way towards the venue when she heard Shuhua calling her, beaming a smile to the maknae despite the cautionary glare from their leader and the weary looks from her members.

“Hi, annyeonghaseyo, Idle imnida! Welcome to our: Anniversary Reunion V-Live!!”

Minnie moved closer to Miyeon. Yuqi clung her arms with Soyeon, who in return held her hand subconsciously. Shuhua, on the other hand, tried her hardest to act as sweet as before with Soojin for the sake of the V-Live, thanking herself for pursuing her acting career. However, Soojin wasn’t buying any of it. Instead, she moved closer to Shuhua and planted a soft kiss on her cheeks as a ‘ _ miss you _ ’ greeting.

Shuhua froze. Soyeon glared. Yuqi, Minnie, and Miyeon cheered albeit awkwardly to remove the growing tension that suddenly clouded the atmosphere. Soojin only smirked at the menacing stare of Soyeon.

It took a few seconds for Shuhua to squeal, saving the life of their group’s pretentious façade at the camera before she gave Yuqi, or Soyeon since she was checking on her too, a helpless but assuring look. This didn’t go unnoticed by Soojin, and she immediately scooted closer to the girl, to which Shuhua jumped slightly at the closeness before she soothed the maknae’s back secretly.

“Sorry if it took you by surprise,” Soojin whispered when the camera moved to focus on Yuyeon.

Shuhua only shook her head. “It’s fine. Just… I understand.  _ Fanservice _ .”

And right then and there, it’s only a matter of time before SooShu would once again face their inevitable fate: sink, or finally, sail.


	9. V-Live Anniversary (Part 2)

Surprisingly, the V-Live went well, and most, if not all, Nevies teared up when they saw OT6 once again in one frame. The comments were flooded with love and support from all Nevies across the world; the girls barely read them one by one as it moved too quickly for their eyes. They might have caught a few glimpses of a word or two, but almost every comment contains the word  _ ‘I love you!’ _

Soyeon’s proud smile never left her lips, and her eyes would always wander at the group she once led and now had been moving forward with their own lives. Regardless if she felt a little wary of Soojin for Shuhua, she never let it overpower the love and care she felt for their previous main dancer.

“Alright, we paired you up for this game.” The producer instructed, “Soojin with Yuqi—”

“NO!” They protested, looking at each other before they simultaneously crossed their arms.

“She’s awful at this! I wanna win!” Yuqi pleaded, but the members laughed, and the producer shook his head.

“Miyeon and Minnie”

MiMin high-fived, and the rest of the pairing could only sigh in envy.

“And lastly, Shuhua and Soyeon.”

The first pair was MiMin. They each placed their headphones on their head and sat across from each other. The game was about impersonation: one of them would impersonate their member written on the paper at the back of the guesser.

Shuhua held the paper in her arms behind Miyeon. Minnie’s the one who would act out.

_ Yuqi _ .

Minnie read and stomped her feet loudly, screaming everywhere with her deep, loud voice. Yuqi was about to protest with Minnie’s exaggeration, but Soyeon stopped her while laughing hard. Minnie had done an excellent job impersonating the Chinese.

“Yuqi!!!”

“That was too easy!!!” Shuhua complained.

“25 seconds.”

“Beat that you bit— beat that!”

They all laughed at Miyeon’s almost slip up.

The next pair was Soyeon and Shuhua. It was a hard choice who would be the guesser, but they decided that Shuhua was an actress and hence, a better impersonator option.

_ Yuqi _ .

“You all love me,” Yuqi muttered, seeing her name once again.

The producer signaled Shuhua that she’s not allowed to use the same action Minnie did. She thought a little too hard when suddenly, her eyes gleamed, and she pointed at Soyeon excitedly.

“Me?”

Shuhua nodded eagerly, then pointed at her heart.

“My heart?”

Shuhua made heart signs, love gestures, and intertwined hands. She almost made a kissing motion, but she knew that was going a bit overboard.

Soyeon’s eyes lit up, and a wide grin spread across her face before she yelled, “UGI YA!!”

“15 seconds.”

Yuqi was dumbfounded. “What? I was never like that?! The fu**.”

The members all hushed Yuqi, reminding her that they’re live. Yuqi only raised her hand in her defense, but not without muttering, “not even sorry.”

The next pair was Yuqi and Soojin. Since Yuqi could be so loud, the decision was too obvious: Soojin was the impersonator.

_ Soyeon _ .

Soojin cleared her throat. She made a DDDD stance where Soyeon was rapping the  _ pikkipikipum _ , and before she could act further, Yuqi had already yelled Soyeon’s name.

“JEON SOYEON! JEON SOYEON! THAT’S FUCKING EASY!”

“YAH! WORDS!” Soyeon’s sharp tone effectively shuts Yuqi even if she didn’t hear it well from the headphones she was wearing. She did catch Soyeon’s eyes, however, and she knew what those looks meant.

The Live was running for an hour and a half now. The girls moved to another location to sprawl themselves at the wide makeshift bed the producers prepared. It reminded them of their sleep V-Lives, and almost instantly, the feeling of nostalgia rushed through their veins as they settled on their chosen spots.

Minnie and Miyeon sat on one side, a few pillows surrounding them while leaning on each other’s shoulder. Not too far was a sitting Soyeon, with a happy Beijing puppy on her lap. Her hand rested on Yuqi’s head while absentmindedly running it through her hair at times, causing Yuqi’s smile to grow wide, albeit a bit shy. On the other end of the bed was Soojin, with Shuhua back hugging her. Shuhua’s chin rested on Soojin’s shoulder while her arms wrapped loosely at the older girl’s waist. Soojin wasn’t supposed to hold onto those arms, but she did, even going as far as caressing it tenderly. Shuhua didn’t flinch this time with the gesture, though. Instead, she moved closer, tightening her hug around the older girl.

They talked about random stuff, mainly about the updates of their lives. Minnie mentioned her studio and her upcoming film, which she asked for support from the fans; Miyeon listened attentively and smiled, secretly squeezing Minnie’s hand under the covers when she felt the girl’s nervousness. Minnie wasn’t really open about her film journey yet, since she believed that she still lacked experience and her film was not that good at all. Despite not seeing it, however, Miyeon had offered her unconditional support, constantly reminding Minnie of how far she’d got and that her films were always good, and she’s excited to see them soon.

Minnie glanced at Miyeon and smiled before she looked at Soyeon. “Soyeon had been receiving countless awards. Shuhua, too. We’re rarely in contact with each other, but we make sure to be updated.”

Yuqi nodded, feeling drowsy with her comfortable position.

“Yuqi’s about to fall asleep,” she heard Soojin, but she ignored it. Soyeon pretended to shush Soojin and motioned that she should not wake  _ her _ Beijing puppy, hugging Yuqi protectively and smothering her with kisses.

“Yah! That’s too much! Get a room!” Shuhua grumbled, earning a giggling Soojin.

“You’re just jealous.” Minnie  _ meronged _ , “Why don’t you ask your Soojin unnie to baby you, too.”

“She’s already my baby.” Soojin said casually, “When we were at Namwon, I had to take care of her all the time.” She looked at the camera to tell her story with the Nevies. “Shuhua picked me up, but she didn’t bring her car. She was cold when she arrived in the middle of the night, and I had to warm her up.”

Shuhua was blushing behind her, and despite trying her best to  _ act  _ lovesick towards Soojin for the sake of the fanservice, she mostly felt awkward, if not uncomfortable.

“If I had to take care of her forever so she could be with me, then I’d gladly cook her seaweed soup all the time.”

Soyeon suddenly whipped her head to Soojin, then her eyes landed on a surprised Shuhua. It was rare for Soojin to be this sincere, even during their idol years. Sure, Soojin had shared bits of her feelings for the world, but when it comes to these deep affections for the maknae, she’s almost always closed off. It happens, but it would take for the moon to be blue and for the crows to be white. She wondered if that’s what happened now. She should check later.

Shuhua, on the other hand, had been feeling more and more uncomfortable with Soojin’s bold affections. They already talked at Namwon about this. When she asked Soojin to just be herself around her, she didn’t mean for the older girl to suddenly revert to how they were. She wasn’t expecting Soojin to be this…  _ aggressive _ with fixing their broken relationship. Shuhua had explicitly told Soojin to take it slow, that she wasn’t ready yet to be friends with her like they used to. They’re friends, yes, but only to an extent. She even requested for Soojin to tone down fanservice and just do the casual ones. This might be casual for Soojin, however, but to Shuhua, it was really too much. The feelings she harbored for the older girl only causing her pain and confusion despite knowing her place in the older girl’s life.

_ She would never be Soojin’s lover. She could only be friends with her. _

The unsettling thought caused a frown on Shuhua’s ever honest features, and this was immediately noticed by Soojin, who fondly took Shuhua’s hand and intertwined it with hers.  _ Like how they used to tell each other that it’s going to be okay.  _ But to Shuhua, it was different. She felt repelled but chose to set aside those feelings until at least after the V-Live.

* * *

“Are you guys traveling back to Namwon?” Soyeon asked Shuhua or Soojin.

Shuhua shook her head, “Soojin’s staying in my place for the night, and then she’ll go back tomorrow.”

The answer didn’t please Soyeon, and she raised a brow at the previous dancer, who only looked at her innocently. It doesn’t seem like a good idea for the two to be under one roof tonight, feeling the rise of tension earlier on Shuhua’s side.

“Okay… let me know if you need anything, aye?” She squeezed Shuhua’s shoulders and looked at her deep in the eyes. Shuhua quickly understood what she meant and just nodded her head in response.

“Soyeon ah, let’s go home.”

It didn’t take long for Soyeon to jog back towards Yuqi’s car before she waved at Shuhua and Soojin. Minnie and Miyeon had left early since Minnie’s apartment were quite far, and they didn’t want to get jammed in the traffic. Shuhua didn’t have the chance to ask if Miyeon was sleeping over, but she knew the answer to it anyway. _ It’d be honestly a surprise if Miyeon’s going back to Incheon instead. _

At the same time, Shuhua never had the chance to ask if Yuqi would sleep over Soyeon’s apartment as well. However, knowing their  _ unlabeled  _ relationship, the answer was just as obvious as MiMin’s. In fact, the two might’ve moved in together already. She never really knows, but whenever she spends time with Yuqi, the giraffe would always refer to Soyeon’s apartment as her  _ home. _

> _ “I’m going home now. See you tomorrow!” Yuqi bid farewell. _
> 
> _ “Let me drive you. My way’s on Jung-gu! That’s where your apartment is located, right?” _
> 
> _ Yuqi nodded but shook her head after. “My way’s on Itaewon.” She said casually. _
> 
> _ Shuhua furrowed her brows in confusion. Did Yuqi bought another apartment? _
> 
> _ “Soyeon’s.” Yuqi added. _
> 
> _ Ah. Shuhua doesn’t have to ask more. _

SooShu had to take a cab back to Shuhua’s apartment since both of them didn’t have their car. The ride was eerily quiet, with Shuhua choosing to sit on the passenger’s side and Soojin alone at the back. Usually, it’d be the two of them together, snuggling and falling asleep in each other’s arms at the end as they wait. But Shuhua was adamant and making her boundaries clear for Soojin to see.

As soon as they arrived, Shuhua paid the driver and walked straight inside, not even waiting for Soojin, who deliberately tried to catch up with her to cling their arms.

“I’ll cook something,” Soojin muttered.  _ Like they used to do. _

Shuhua shook her head, “No need for that. I’m tired.”

“Let me prepare you a hot shower, then.”

“Stop, please.” Shuhua tried to be polite, but the annoyance in her voice betrayed her. Soojin knew this place, and they had a routine before, too. It was always Soojin who takes care of her every after work when the older girl decides to visit her during weekends or holidays. “You don’t have to do those, Soojin. I can take care of myself.”

“Ah…” Of course, Soojin knew that Shuhua’s a grown woman now. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I mean, I was just used to us—”

“I’m going to bed.”

“Shuhua—” Soojin tried to stop her, but the Taiwanese’s eyes that sharply looked at her made her step back. “Uhm, goodnight,” she muttered instead.

And with that, Shuhua was gone, slamming the door shut in her room. Soojin raked her hand through her hair frustratingly. Just as when she told herself that she won’t mess up, here she was, ultimately, and utterly lost. She knew she overstepped on the boundaries Shuhua asked, but she just couldn’t help herself at times. She wasn’t used to this. Shuhua being cold and her losing her control. Normally, she’s the composed one between them. But perhaps because of the guilt and shame she carried and bottled for three long years, it just came pouring out without her permission.

Soojin threw herself at the sofa and stared at Shuhua’s kitchen, reminiscing the good memories they shared and loathed herself for ruining such a great friendship.

At that time, she had consistently downplayed Shuhua’s affections and feelings towards her, always concluding it as  _ platonic _ . But when Shuhua confessed, she saw a different perspective. And for some reason, it only filled her with more questions than answers. She saw Shuhua differently and how her actions finally made sense, especially her tantrums, jealousy, possessiveness, etc.

Soojin rolled to her side as she delved into her thoughts deeper.

_ Had Shuhua always been that caring? Had she always loved her? Had she been taking Shuhua for granted? _

She didn’t know. She was too scared to know.

Because then, what will happen if she realized, it wasn’t  _ just  _ Shuhua falling all this time?

What if she realized  _ she also loves the girl more than what friendship could offer? _

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on my Twitter: **[@wookieoogie](https://twitter.com/wookieoogie)**. I always do random polls for my stories. Watch out for that!
> 
> Drop comments/requests/suggestions on my curiouscat: **[wookieoogie](https://curiouscat.qa/wookieoogie)**. My answers are always posted on Twitter, too!


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